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Asheville police arrested a man for carving a swastika into the door frame of the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, according to warrants.(Photo: , Katie Bailey/bkbailey@citizen-times.com)

ASHEVILLE - Police have arrested a city man for carving a swastika into the door frame of a downtown business, according to warrants.

Robert Arnold Minicucci Jr., 30, has been charged with ethnic intimidation, second-degree trespassing and injury to real property — all misdemeanors. Warrants stated he scratched the symbol, used as the Nazi party emblem, along with the letters "A H" on French Broad Chocolate Lounge property because of the business owner's religion.

Minicucci was also on the French Broad Chocolate Lounge premises on South Pack Square after an APD officer told him not to be, warrants stated.

Jael Rattigan, who owns the business with Dan Rattigan, said their main concern is keeping the lounge's staff safe.

"Our greatest priority is our employees' safety and (Minicucci's) behavior has made our team feel threatened and unsafe," she said. "That's why we took the action we did in filing a restraining order and pressing charges."

Minicucci was released on a written promise to appear. He is scheduled to be in court Aug. 8. He is ordered not to go on French Broad Chocolate Lounge property or to have any contact with the business.

Read or Share this story: https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2019/07/25/asheville-police-arrest-man-french-broad-chocolate-swastika-carving/1812654001/